When I awoke this morning, it felt like fall. What do I mean when I say it felt like fall? The temperature was cool and crisp. It was the first official day of autumn.

The sun was not out, but it was beginning to look like fall as well. Some of the leaves are beginning to turn. The burning bush is bright red. The flowers along the highways and byways are the typical fall offerings.

In fact, it was downright cold! It never got above fifty all day but it was sunny and beautiful. I just wore my sweatshirt and a jacket over the top.

Although I enjoy the fall flowers, they are tough on my allergies. I love goldenrod, but it makes me sneeze. I have talked to others who have allergies and they tell me they are really in misery. I am not, but I am taking medicine to relieve it.

When I talked to my stepdaughter from Alaska, she told me her family was planning a trip to the New England states. They will be there in October. When they began planning, they never considered it to be a problem, but when their son was looking for accommodations to either camp or in motels, they were all booked to capacity. That was when it clicked that this would be the peak leaf season for viewing.

Her husband has made it a mission to visit all fifty states. He only has a few left and this will check off a couple of them.

One thing her son found were something similar to Air B&Bs. They have made arrangements to camp in someone’s yard for a couple of the days. They were told they would have access to the house for showers. There will be seven of them so it is a big deal.

To me autumn means the turning of the leaves, but it also means the emptying of the garden and the trimming up of the flower beds. Someone was supposed to come do that for me, but at this point they have not arrived and I fear it is too late.

While I know that autumn is the precursor of winter, I still enjoy it. It is a beautiful season. As we view this wonderful planet of ours, we must consider that we all bring different experiences. I found something in my reading that expresses it well.

Someone wrote: Who is Jesus? “To the baker He is the Living Bread. To the barber He is the Hidden Treasure. To the biologist He is the Life. To the builder He is the Sure Foundation. To the Carpenter He is the Door. To the doctor He is the Great Physician. To the educator He is the Great Teacher. To the engineer He is the New and Living Way. To the farmer He is the Sower and Lord of the Harvest.” Yes, we all bring our background with us as we explore God’s Kingdom. If we think of Him in those terms, it covers all that He is.

As we look forward to this harvest season remember He who made this earth and all that is in it. I tend to pray whenever I think of someone. That has served me well. Often my prayers have been answered unbeknown to me.

This year as I clean my closet to purge the summer clothing in exchange for the winter duds, I am very aware of the change in temperature. Someone recently asked me how I packed when we went to Alaska. I told them I layered so I could remove things as it warmed, but add things if it was cold. I made sure I could fit my heavier jacket over my lighter one. It all worked. I was never too cold or too warm. Both times I visited Alaska it was in the transitory months. I needed to be prepared for anything.

The Lord’s paintbrush is magnificent. Watch for all of the colors. I hope we have some sunny days because the leaves are prettier then. Enjoy nature’s change. How can anyone doubt the existence of God who created everything on earth? He created a way to reproduce. He created a sustainable means of existence. He gave us plants and animals to eat. It is only when we go beyond His ways that our planet gets in trouble.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell, Pa. Contact at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.